Sunday, August 14, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Chicken Salad with Potatoes
This is another salad recipe compliments of my Mama. I can't take credit for making this, only devouring it late at night after I came to visit my parents.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound new potatoes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 to 2 pound rotisserie chicken
2 bunches (about 3 cups) of arugula with the stems removed
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan, shaved
Directions:
1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water. Bring the water to to a boil. Then add the salt and reduce the heat to simmer the potatoes until they are tender. Drain the potatoes and immediately run them under cold water. After the potatoes have cooled. slice them.
2. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper together. Set the dressing aside. To prepare the chicken shred the meat and remove the skin and bones.
3. When ready to serve the salad, combine the arugula, chicken, fresh tarragon, and potatoes. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle shaved parmesan overtop.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound new potatoes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 to 2 pound rotisserie chicken
2 bunches (about 3 cups) of arugula with the stems removed
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan, shaved
Directions:
1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water. Bring the water to to a boil. Then add the salt and reduce the heat to simmer the potatoes until they are tender. Drain the potatoes and immediately run them under cold water. After the potatoes have cooled. slice them.
2. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper together. Set the dressing aside. To prepare the chicken shred the meat and remove the skin and bones.
3. When ready to serve the salad, combine the arugula, chicken, fresh tarragon, and potatoes. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle shaved parmesan overtop.
Watercress Salad with Egg, Goat Cheese, and Seeds
My mom found this in the Wall Street Journal. She's just as surprised as I am about how good it is. If watercress is scarce or too expensive Mama recommends arugula as a bitter greens substitute. When we ate this for lunch Mama left out the dill and used an herbed goat cheese. Per usual the recipe is a guide, not absolute.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tablespoons raw almonds chopped medium-fine
1/2 Tablespoon coriander seed
1 1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 eggs, hard boiled
1/2 to 1 glove of garlic minced or finely grated
1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice or more to taste
3 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups watercress or arugula
1 cup dill, roughly chopped
1 cup basil leaves, chopped roughly
1 cup cilantro leaves, tightly packed
1 3/4 ounces fresh, mild goat cheese
Directions:
1. Put almonds, coriander seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes in a skillet and toast them over medium heat for about three minutes while shaking the pan often. When sesame seeds begin to turn brown remove the seed mixture from heat.
2. Cook the eggs in a saucepan of water until they reach their desired consistency. Some like a runnier yoke to their hard boiled eggs. I prefer to cook them until the yolk is firm but still a wet/deep yellow color. This often means cooking them just a little less than a well done hard boiled egg requires.
3. Whisk prepared garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more lemon juice if necessary.
4. Toss the greens (watercress or arugula) with the prepared herbs in a bowl. Serve the greens with goat cheese dollops, dressing drizzles, and seeds overtop. Slice eggs and serve in the salad as well.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tablespoons raw almonds chopped medium-fine
1/2 Tablespoon coriander seed
1 1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 eggs, hard boiled
1/2 to 1 glove of garlic minced or finely grated
1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice or more to taste
3 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups watercress or arugula
1 cup dill, roughly chopped
1 cup basil leaves, chopped roughly
1 cup cilantro leaves, tightly packed
1 3/4 ounces fresh, mild goat cheese
Directions:
1. Put almonds, coriander seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes in a skillet and toast them over medium heat for about three minutes while shaking the pan often. When sesame seeds begin to turn brown remove the seed mixture from heat.
2. Cook the eggs in a saucepan of water until they reach their desired consistency. Some like a runnier yoke to their hard boiled eggs. I prefer to cook them until the yolk is firm but still a wet/deep yellow color. This often means cooking them just a little less than a well done hard boiled egg requires.
3. Whisk prepared garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more lemon juice if necessary.
4. Toss the greens (watercress or arugula) with the prepared herbs in a bowl. Serve the greens with goat cheese dollops, dressing drizzles, and seeds overtop. Slice eggs and serve in the salad as well.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Splendid Raspberry Spinach Salad
This is a salad for salad-haters. It's sweet taste will win the hearts of any skeptical vegetable eater. The recipe is from Creme de Colorado. It is a favorite in my family and has been served around Christmas and also in the early summer when fresh berries are in season.
serves 8
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons raspberry vinegar (or another sweet vinegar like red wine or cider)
2 Tablespoons raspberry jam
1/2 Cup oil (I prefer canola over vegetable)
8 Cups spinach, rinsed, stemmed, and torn into pieces
3/4 Cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 Cup fresh raspberries
3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
Directions:
To make the dressing you combine the vinegar, jam, and oil in a blender or whisk together. Do so by first adding the vinegar and jam and then slowly adding the oil in a stream either gently whisking in or pouring in a slow steady stream while the blender is on.
Toss the spinach in dressing and top with raspberries, kiwis, and nuts.
Note: You can also substitute strawberries in this salad by using strawberry vinegar, strawberry jam, and strawberries over top.
serves 8
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons raspberry vinegar (or another sweet vinegar like red wine or cider)
2 Tablespoons raspberry jam
1/2 Cup oil (I prefer canola over vegetable)
8 Cups spinach, rinsed, stemmed, and torn into pieces
3/4 Cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 Cup fresh raspberries
3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
Directions:
To make the dressing you combine the vinegar, jam, and oil in a blender or whisk together. Do so by first adding the vinegar and jam and then slowly adding the oil in a stream either gently whisking in or pouring in a slow steady stream while the blender is on.
Toss the spinach in dressing and top with raspberries, kiwis, and nuts.
Note: You can also substitute strawberries in this salad by using strawberry vinegar, strawberry jam, and strawberries over top.
Sophie hates anise, but loves oranges
Sophie turned me on to a variation of this recipe. With her strong dislike of anise, she substituted fresh orange rind instead of anise and made me a delicious orange chicken. She served it over rice and added additional toppings including chopped peanuts, chopped green onions, and cilantro.
I later tried to recreate the chicken dish and on both occasions managed to deviate even further from the original recipe like a game of telephone. To be fair though, I never read the original recipe and mainly worked from a vague recollection of Sophie's orange chicken affair.
The first attempt led to a very saucy version of the orange chicken Sophie made. This time, I served it over wild rice with vegetables and salad. It was nice to cut the chicken and toss the rice and vegetables in the extra sauce. The leftovers tasted like a tasty orange chicken salad. In my second attempt, I omitted the flavor additions entirely and I ended up (by accident) making teriyaki chicken which I ate with a side salad and mashed sweet potatoes. This time there was less sauce and it more tasted like a chicken smothered in a savory brown reduction sauce.
I recommend looking at this recipe as either a recipe to follow or a guide to the endless possibilities of sugar, tamari sauce, and chicken.
I later tried to recreate the chicken dish and on both occasions managed to deviate even further from the original recipe like a game of telephone. To be fair though, I never read the original recipe and mainly worked from a vague recollection of Sophie's orange chicken affair.
The first attempt led to a very saucy version of the orange chicken Sophie made. This time, I served it over wild rice with vegetables and salad. It was nice to cut the chicken and toss the rice and vegetables in the extra sauce. The leftovers tasted like a tasty orange chicken salad. In my second attempt, I omitted the flavor additions entirely and I ended up (by accident) making teriyaki chicken which I ate with a side salad and mashed sweet potatoes. This time there was less sauce and it more tasted like a chicken smothered in a savory brown reduction sauce.
I recommend looking at this recipe as either a recipe to follow or a guide to the endless possibilities of sugar, tamari sauce, and chicken.
Sophie's Quick Pickle Salad
Salad with Pickled Red Onion, Cucumber, and Avocado
Ingredients:
1-2 lemons
1/2 red onion, cut in half and then sliced thinly
Salad greens, preferably deep green leafy variety
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 avocado sliced
Dress with olive oil and lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: grated parmesan cheese and additional beloved vegetables
Directions:
Toss the thinly sliced onions in lemon juice and squeeze the onions lightly. The citrus from the onions will make a quickly pickle the red onions transforming them from crunch and bitter into soft and sweet. Proceed with making a salad per usual tossing the greens in oil, salt, and pepper and then topping the dressed greens with the picked onions, sliced cucumber and avocado, and any additional squirt of lemon juice your heart desires.
Recipe Review: Sparkling Ginger Chip Cookies
I made these ginger chocolate cookies a couple times around Christmas and had great success with it. These cookies pack a mean punch and they aren't meant for eating by the handful. Just one bite is a mouthful of spicy ginger flavor. I haven't figured out a way to make them gluten free just yet since I made them at a time when I was still using wheat in my baking. So for now I'll post the recipe for inspiration.
Recipe Review: Spicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken
from epicurious.com
I made this recipe several years ago and although it was somewhat labor intensive to make the broth a day in advance, my efforts were greatly rewarded by truly delicious soup, one so good that I was surprised I pulled it off the first time making it. I adhered to the directions fairly closely and took all the recommendations about advance preparation. Letting the broth sit overnight helps the flavors become more developed the following day.
yield: Makes 6 serving
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass* (from bottom 4 inches of about 3 stalks, tough outer leaves discarded)
- 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste*
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)*
- 2 13.5- to 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk,* divided
- 5 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)*
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3 cups snow peas, trimmed
- 2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled red-skinned sweet potato (yam; from about 1 large)
- 1 pound dried rice vermicelli noodles or rice stick noodles*
- 3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 red Thai bird chiles or 2 red jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced with seeds
- 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add next 4 ingredients; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in curry paste, curry powder, and chili paste. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk (scooped from thick liquid at top of can). Stir until thick and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and sugar; bring broth to boil. Keep warm. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
Cook snow peas in large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 20 seconds. Using strainer, remove peas from pot; rinse under cold water to cool. Place peas in medium bowl. Bring water in same pot back to boil. Add sweet potato and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Using strainer, remove sweet potato from pot and rinse under cold water to cool. Place in small bowl. Bring water in same pot back to boil and cook noodles until just tender but still firm to bite, about 6 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Bring broth to simmer. Add chicken; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add sweet potato; stir to heat through, about 1 minute. Heat noodles in microwave in 30-second intervals to rewarm. Cut noodles with scissors if too long. Divide noodles among bowls. Divide snow peas and hot soup among bowls. Scatter red onion, green onions, cilantro, and chiles over soup. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.
Idy Recipe link
I originally read about idlies in Sandor Katz's Wild Fermentation. They are yummy little steamed cakes made from fermented lentils and rice and served with chutney. This link shows the traditional approach to making idlies. This project requires some special equipment namely the idly steamer shown in the pictures on the link and a pressure cooker. I found an inexpensive idly steamer at an Indian grocer and it fit nicely inside the pressure cooker I already have. Katz's recipe suggests using a pressure cooker and I'm not sure if it is possible to fudge your way through this project without these two main pieces of equipment. But the resulting steamed cakes are a nice doughy treat for someone who can't otherwise enjoy traditional dough.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Mama's Summer Salad
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. small white potatoes
1 Cup and 3 Tbs. fruity olive oil
1/4 Cup to 1/3 Cup minced parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 lb. Zucchini sliced thinly
1 lb. thin green beans cut into 1" length
2 large heads of lettuce
3/4 C. wine vinegar (Mama says red)
1/2 tsp. crushed fresh basil
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
Directions:
Prepare a large stock pot with water and salt and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes whole with skins and cook until tender. Drain, Peel, Cool, and Slice. Toss in the three tablespoons of olive oil, minced parsley, salt, and pepper then set aside.
Next repeat the process with each vegetable one at a time to ensure the proper consistency of each. After cooking follow the same procedure of draining, rinsing, and cooling the vegetables. However, the already sliced vegetables will cook in their sliced form. It will take about five minutes to cook the zucchini and may take even less time for the others. You want the vegetables to still be crunchy so be careful not to overcook them. Set the vegetables aside.
Wash the lettuce. Spin dry and tear. Then prepare the dressing by combining the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and basil. Now, combine all the cooked and cooled vegetables including the potatoes and toss all with the marinade. Serve over the lettuce.
1 1/2 lbs. small white potatoes
1 Cup and 3 Tbs. fruity olive oil
1/4 Cup to 1/3 Cup minced parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 lb. Zucchini sliced thinly
1 lb. thin green beans cut into 1" length
2 large heads of lettuce
3/4 C. wine vinegar (Mama says red)
1/2 tsp. crushed fresh basil
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
Directions:
Prepare a large stock pot with water and salt and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes whole with skins and cook until tender. Drain, Peel, Cool, and Slice. Toss in the three tablespoons of olive oil, minced parsley, salt, and pepper then set aside.
Next repeat the process with each vegetable one at a time to ensure the proper consistency of each. After cooking follow the same procedure of draining, rinsing, and cooling the vegetables. However, the already sliced vegetables will cook in their sliced form. It will take about five minutes to cook the zucchini and may take even less time for the others. You want the vegetables to still be crunchy so be careful not to overcook them. Set the vegetables aside.
Wash the lettuce. Spin dry and tear. Then prepare the dressing by combining the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and basil. Now, combine all the cooked and cooled vegetables including the potatoes and toss all with the marinade. Serve over the lettuce.
Bethala's Healthy Cookies
Ingredients:
1 Cup gluten free flour mixture (The recipe originally calls for spelt)
1 Tbs. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 Cup pecan meal or chopped pecans
1/3 Cup ghee
1/3 Cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla OR
1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp. almond extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl including the flour, arrowroot, salt, and pecan meal. In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet to dry, stirring in extra flour as needed to get rid of too much stickiness in the batter.
Note: Adding more ghee will make the cookies more like shortbread whereas adding more maple syrup will make the cookies harder.
Roll the dough into small teaspoon size balls and place on a cookie sheet. Press the center with a fork to create cross-hatched indentations then bake for 12 minutes.
1 Cup gluten free flour mixture (The recipe originally calls for spelt)
1 Tbs. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 Cup pecan meal or chopped pecans
1/3 Cup ghee
1/3 Cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla OR
1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp. almond extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl including the flour, arrowroot, salt, and pecan meal. In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet to dry, stirring in extra flour as needed to get rid of too much stickiness in the batter.
Note: Adding more ghee will make the cookies more like shortbread whereas adding more maple syrup will make the cookies harder.
Roll the dough into small teaspoon size balls and place on a cookie sheet. Press the center with a fork to create cross-hatched indentations then bake for 12 minutes.
Coconut, Currant, Almond Granola
Ingredients:
4 Cups oats
2 Cups or more shredded coconut
2 Cups sliced almonds
3/4 Cup coconut oil
1/2 Cup honey or agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried currants
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the oats, coconut and almonds together. Melt the oil and the honey (if it has thickened) then whisk the oil, honey, and vanilla together. Pour the liquid mizture over the oats and toss until the oats are coated. Spread the granola mixture across a pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the mixture is golden brown. The aromatic scent of the granola will typically signal that it is near completion. Also, turn the granola half-way through cooking to ensure even browning of the oats. When the granola is complete, remove from the oven and add the currants to the mixture. Store in an airtight container and enjoy.
4 Cups oats
2 Cups or more shredded coconut
2 Cups sliced almonds
3/4 Cup coconut oil
1/2 Cup honey or agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried currants
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the oats, coconut and almonds together. Melt the oil and the honey (if it has thickened) then whisk the oil, honey, and vanilla together. Pour the liquid mizture over the oats and toss until the oats are coated. Spread the granola mixture across a pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the mixture is golden brown. The aromatic scent of the granola will typically signal that it is near completion. Also, turn the granola half-way through cooking to ensure even browning of the oats. When the granola is complete, remove from the oven and add the currants to the mixture. Store in an airtight container and enjoy.
Recipe Review: Ribboned Asparagus Salad with Lemon
Yesterday, I ate the Ribboned Asparagus Salad with Lemon recipe from the smitten kitchen blog. I didn't make it but would happily do so especially while asparagus is now in season. The asparagus is served raw but the acidity of the lemon denatures the vegetable making it tender and tangy. Go all out on buy a worthy hard parmesan cheese for this salad because this dish showcases its cheese. And any salad that uses cheese as a primary ingredient is my kind of salad.
Nicholas's Mushroom, Wild Rice, and Meatball Soup
Ingredients:
4 Cups beef stock
1 Cup water
1/2 Cup wild rice (originally the recipe calls for barley)
1 Lg. thyme sprig
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. mix of wild mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (shiitake, crimini, and portabella recommended)
1 Lg. shallot, chopped finely
1 Lg. egg
2 Tbs. dry (gluten free) bread crumbs
2 Tbs. Parmigiano-Reggiano or peperoncino cheese
2 Tbs. chopped flat leaf parsley or cilantro
Optional: olive oil drizzles over top
Directions:
Combine the beef stock, water, rice, and thyme in a stock pan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the grains are tender. In a skillet, saute the onions and mushrooms until the onions have caramelized and the mushrooms are tender.
To make the meatballs, add the ground sirloin, egg, bread crumbs, and cheese. Knead the meat and roll it into about 16 1" meatballs. Next add the meatballs and mushrooms to the soup stock and simmer until the meat balls are cooked (about eight minutes). Discard the thyme and garnish the soup with parsley, cilantro, and olive oil drizzles.
4 Cups beef stock
1 Cup water
1/2 Cup wild rice (originally the recipe calls for barley)
1 Lg. thyme sprig
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. mix of wild mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (shiitake, crimini, and portabella recommended)
1 Lg. shallot, chopped finely
1 Lg. egg
2 Tbs. dry (gluten free) bread crumbs
2 Tbs. Parmigiano-Reggiano or peperoncino cheese
2 Tbs. chopped flat leaf parsley or cilantro
Optional: olive oil drizzles over top
Directions:
Combine the beef stock, water, rice, and thyme in a stock pan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the grains are tender. In a skillet, saute the onions and mushrooms until the onions have caramelized and the mushrooms are tender.
To make the meatballs, add the ground sirloin, egg, bread crumbs, and cheese. Knead the meat and roll it into about 16 1" meatballs. Next add the meatballs and mushrooms to the soup stock and simmer until the meat balls are cooked (about eight minutes). Discard the thyme and garnish the soup with parsley, cilantro, and olive oil drizzles.
Popcorn, the ultimate snack
Some suggested toppings beyond your basic salt and butter:
Garlic powder and Parmesan cheese
Curry Powder and Nutritional Yeast
Saute garlic in oil then pop the popcorn in garlic infused oil
Use garlic chile pepper paste and mix with melted butter for a spicy oil topping
Add ground Kale chips.
Recipe for Kale Chips:
Toss kale in olive oil and salt. Spread the leaves on a baking sheet and bake until crispy and dry.
Homemade Yogurt from Sandor Katz's Wild Fermentation
Equipment:
Quart/liter jar
Insulated cooler or a warm location
Thermometer
Ingredients:
1 quart/1 liter milk (can use 2% or whole)
1 Tbs. plain yogurt with a live culture (You only need 1 Tbs. per quart of milk. Any more will yield a bad yogurt but a little less will actually be fine.)
Directions:
Preheat the jar and cooler by pouring hot water into each. Yogurt fermentation requires warmth and the warmth of both the jar and cooler ensure that the process will be successful.
Carefully heat the milk in a large pan with a thermometer nearby. You want to get the milk to 180 degrees F or 82 degrees C. Use a gentle flame and allow the milk to heat slowly so that it does not burn. You don't need the milk to reach a boil but you do want it to get up to 180 degrees, this helps the yogurt become more thick later.
After it reaches 180 degrees, turn the heat off and allow the milk to cool to 110 degrees F or 43 degrees C. Do not let the yogurt get much cooler than this or else the culture cannot remain active once added.
Next, thoroughly mix in the tablespoon of live-active plain yogurt with the warm milk and then add the mixture to the preheated jar. Cover the gar and put in the insulated cooler or warm fermentation location. Let the jar 'rest'. Don't move or jostle it for the next eight hours because doing so may interrupt the fermentation.
In 8-12 hours the yogurt should be thick. If not, the location may need to be warmed again with more water or a little more starter may needed to be added. The longer the yogurt ferments, the more sour the flavor will become. Likewise, the longer the yogurt is stored later, the more sour its flavor will taste.
Anne Parks' Turkish Tarator Sauce
Ingredients
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
2 oz. baguette, crust removed, soaked briefly in water or milk and squeezed dry (or substitute gluten free bread or bread crumbs)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. walnut oil
1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt
2 Tbs. lemon juice
Directions
Mash the garlic and salt to a paste using either a mortar and pestle or food processor. Separately, process the walnuts until they are finely ground and then add the bread, and garlic salt until they are processed to a paste. Drizzle olive oil and walnut oil as you process to add some moisture. Then add the yogurt and lemon juice and pulse until the sauce is smooth or dip-like in consistency. Let the sauce sit for thirty minutes then serve.
Note: Adding more yogurt will make the sauce creamier.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve the sauce as a spread over vegetables, bread, or crackers. Also, toss cooked kale or greens with the sauce for a zippy dressing.
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
2 oz. baguette, crust removed, soaked briefly in water or milk and squeezed dry (or substitute gluten free bread or bread crumbs)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. walnut oil
1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt
2 Tbs. lemon juice
Directions
Mash the garlic and salt to a paste using either a mortar and pestle or food processor. Separately, process the walnuts until they are finely ground and then add the bread, and garlic salt until they are processed to a paste. Drizzle olive oil and walnut oil as you process to add some moisture. Then add the yogurt and lemon juice and pulse until the sauce is smooth or dip-like in consistency. Let the sauce sit for thirty minutes then serve.
Note: Adding more yogurt will make the sauce creamier.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve the sauce as a spread over vegetables, bread, or crackers. Also, toss cooked kale or greens with the sauce for a zippy dressing.
Anastasia's Flourless Chocolate Torte (original recipe courtesy of Monique Hooker)
recipe written by Anastasia
Cake Ingredients
9 oz chocolate, bittersweet (68-70% cocoa)
1/2 lbs butter
8 egg yolks
1 C sugar, granulate
1 tsp vanilla or 2 T flavored liquer (e.g. gran marnier, kursch, dark rum, chambord, etc)
5 egg whites
1/3 C sugar, granulated
Raspberry Sauce Ingredients
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C water
handful of fresh raspberries (I'm sure frozen would be fine)
[Optional: two drunken splashes of flowery/fruity liqueur like St. Germain, my personal fave]
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line bottom of 9" spring-form pan with round of parchment (simply greasing is not really sufficient, your pretty cake will still stick and become much less pretty).
Melt butter and chocolate over low flame or double boiler until combined. Set aside to cool. Beat egg yolks and sugar until lightened in color and texture (will nearly double in size). Sugar crystals should be mostly dissolved. Add yolk mixture to chocolate, half at a time. Beat until homogeneous. In a clean, dry (this is critical, any amount of fat or yolk will prevent egg whites from fluffing) bowl, beat egg whites on med/low until small bubbles appear THEN add remaining 1/3 C sugar. Beat on high until stiff peaks form (i.e. the peaks hold their shape when you pull your whisk or beaters out of the solution; soft peaks droop over, stiff do not). Fold 1/3 of egg whites at a time into the chocolate mixture until a few white streaks are left. Its better to leave a few white spots than stir away all the bubbles you just spent an hour trapping in there.
Pour into cake pan and even out. Bake for about 55 min or until a tester in the center comes out clean. There will be a crust and it will puff up substantially but this won't last for long. Run a knife around the edges to loosen (this is actually really important to prevent your cake from cracking). Let cool to room temp. Remove sides of pan and invert on a platter. Serve as is or with whipped cream or creme fraiche, or cover in berries, or dust with powdered sugar, or pour on ganache, OR drizzle raspberry sauce (see below).
Simmer the sauce ingredients until the berries have fallen apart and liquid has reduced to your desired thickness (note: will thicken with cooling). Strain, cool, serve.
Cake Ingredients
9 oz chocolate, bittersweet (68-70% cocoa)
1/2 lbs butter
8 egg yolks
1 C sugar, granulate
1 tsp vanilla or 2 T flavored liquer (e.g. gran marnier, kursch, dark rum, chambord, etc)
5 egg whites
1/3 C sugar, granulated
Raspberry Sauce Ingredients
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C water
handful of fresh raspberries (I'm sure frozen would be fine)
[Optional: two drunken splashes of flowery/fruity liqueur like St. Germain, my personal fave]
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line bottom of 9" spring-form pan with round of parchment (simply greasing is not really sufficient, your pretty cake will still stick and become much less pretty).
Melt butter and chocolate over low flame or double boiler until combined. Set aside to cool. Beat egg yolks and sugar until lightened in color and texture (will nearly double in size). Sugar crystals should be mostly dissolved. Add yolk mixture to chocolate, half at a time. Beat until homogeneous. In a clean, dry (this is critical, any amount of fat or yolk will prevent egg whites from fluffing) bowl, beat egg whites on med/low until small bubbles appear THEN add remaining 1/3 C sugar. Beat on high until stiff peaks form (i.e. the peaks hold their shape when you pull your whisk or beaters out of the solution; soft peaks droop over, stiff do not). Fold 1/3 of egg whites at a time into the chocolate mixture until a few white streaks are left. Its better to leave a few white spots than stir away all the bubbles you just spent an hour trapping in there.
Pour into cake pan and even out. Bake for about 55 min or until a tester in the center comes out clean. There will be a crust and it will puff up substantially but this won't last for long. Run a knife around the edges to loosen (this is actually really important to prevent your cake from cracking). Let cool to room temp. Remove sides of pan and invert on a platter. Serve as is or with whipped cream or creme fraiche, or cover in berries, or dust with powdered sugar, or pour on ganache, OR drizzle raspberry sauce (see below).
Simmer the sauce ingredients until the berries have fallen apart and liquid has reduced to your desired thickness (note: will thicken with cooling). Strain, cool, serve.
Renata's Carnitas
Ingredients:
1 large cut of pork butt
1 cup or more orange juice
several cloves of whole garlic, shelled
1-2 bay leaves OR
1-2 sticks of cinnamon
Directions
Preheat the oven between 350 and 375 degrees F.
Brown the pork butt in a skillet on all sides. Place in a crock pot or casserole and slow cook the pork in a liquid mixture that is three parts water and one part orange juice. You can also slow cook in a mixture that is entirely orange juice for a sweeter flavor. Also add the garlic and bay leaves to the brine and allow the pork to cook on a low heat for a long time until it is tender and falling apart.
Remove the pork from the cooking liquid and set the liquid aside. (You'll need it for the next step so save it). Shred the pork using a fork and place the shredded pork on a baking sheet. Pour some of the reserve cooking liquid over the shredded pork, just enough to cover the bottom of the baking sheet.
Then bake the pork and allow the liquid to boil and the meat caramelize in its juices. You can add more cooking liquid if needed. Remove the meat when it is both tender and browned.
Serve with soft shell corn tortillas and taco toppings.
Alyce Schaffer's Rhubarb Custard Cake from the 3M Cookbook
Ingredients
1 box of yellow cake mix (Gluten Free mixes will work too) and its accompanying ingredients.
3 cups of chopped rhubarb or 3 cups rhubarb and strawberries combined
1 cup sugar
1 pint whipping cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the yellow cake mix according to the directions, adding oil and eggs as directed. Toss the rhubarb or rhubarb and strawberry mixture with the sugar. (I've used less than one cup before, just tossing the fruit enough to loosely coat.) Grease a 9" by 13" pan and fill it first with the batter, then the fruit mixture, and then pour the pint of whipping cream on top. Bake for 45 minutes and serve upside down.
1 box of yellow cake mix (Gluten Free mixes will work too) and its accompanying ingredients.
3 cups of chopped rhubarb or 3 cups rhubarb and strawberries combined
1 cup sugar
1 pint whipping cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the yellow cake mix according to the directions, adding oil and eggs as directed. Toss the rhubarb or rhubarb and strawberry mixture with the sugar. (I've used less than one cup before, just tossing the fruit enough to loosely coat.) Grease a 9" by 13" pan and fill it first with the batter, then the fruit mixture, and then pour the pint of whipping cream on top. Bake for 45 minutes and serve upside down.
Shivaun's Baked Rice and Beans, Jamaican Style
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 fresh chile, cored, seeded, and chopped
3/4 c. dried black beans soaked or 2 cans of cooked black beans and the liquid in the can.
1 14 oz. can of coconut milk (or more)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 c. fresh cilantro or parsley
Optional: serve with avocado slices.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil and cook the garlic, onion, and pepper in a casserole pan for about five minutes until the onion is soft then add the beans. If you are adding the dry beans, add water to cover and bring the beans to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes with a loosely fitted cover. If using canned beans, cook shortly until the beans are tender.
Once the beans are soft, mash the beans into the sauteed onions and surrounding liquid. The starchiness of the beans should thicken the cooking liquid. Next. stir in the dry rice, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bake 30 to 60 minutes until the rice is cooked. You may need to add more water or coconut milk as the dish bakes depending on whether or not you used dry beans or brown rice both of which will require more liquid to cook.
When the dish is thick and the rice cooked, remove from the oven and garnish with parsley or cilantro, or freshly sliced avocado.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 fresh chile, cored, seeded, and chopped
3/4 c. dried black beans soaked or 2 cans of cooked black beans and the liquid in the can.
1 14 oz. can of coconut milk (or more)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 c. fresh cilantro or parsley
Optional: serve with avocado slices.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil and cook the garlic, onion, and pepper in a casserole pan for about five minutes until the onion is soft then add the beans. If you are adding the dry beans, add water to cover and bring the beans to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes with a loosely fitted cover. If using canned beans, cook shortly until the beans are tender.
Once the beans are soft, mash the beans into the sauteed onions and surrounding liquid. The starchiness of the beans should thicken the cooking liquid. Next. stir in the dry rice, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bake 30 to 60 minutes until the rice is cooked. You may need to add more water or coconut milk as the dish bakes depending on whether or not you used dry beans or brown rice both of which will require more liquid to cook.
When the dish is thick and the rice cooked, remove from the oven and garnish with parsley or cilantro, or freshly sliced avocado.
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